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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · cue · foot · cabinet · lash · rest · firm · stock

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rest — a break
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — decided
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — a company
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stock — goods
  12. firm — steady
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. foot — a measure
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. cue — a signal
  21. stock — shares
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. cue — a hint
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com